Treasured Family Recipes: Chocolate Chip Cookies

December 03, 2012

When it comes to my family get-togethers, one thing is for certain -- there WILL be cookies. That's only thanks to my Grandmother who brings two vintage tin containers full of her famous chocolate chip cookies virtually every time we gather. These aren't your pre-made cookies that come in that refrigerated log in the grocery store. These are the homemade from scratch kind that make brother and sister knock each other over, cause aunts and cousins to come running and compel the kids to sneak one after another.

For as long as I can remember, my Grandmother has been baking these sweet treats and sharing with the whole family. She likes them thin and crispy herself and insists that's the only way a fresh cookie should be. For decades, we went along with her, happy to devour each mouth-watering batch. Then finally, a discussion was born about the younger generation's adoration of soft batch cookies. Being the good-hearted, unselfish woman she is, my Grandmother commenced to making two separate batches every time she baked: One for team "thin and crispy" and one for team "soft and chewy."

My Grandmother has always cooked and baked from memory. She's not one to pull out cookbooks or spend time measuring ingredients. That's why I think her cookies are so beloved -- they are hers and no one is quite sure what exactly goes into them. If you ask, she will just give you a sly smile and say, "They are just normal chocolate chip cookies... made with a little bit of extra love."

Whatever the ingredients, on the holidays (when there is always a whole spread of decadent desserts) you better believe those two tins full of cookies are the first disappear. If you're lucky enough to have a Grandmother who can cook like mine, you probably have your own treasured family recipe that is near and dear to your heart. That one special dish or dessert that is almost divine... but is never quite as sweet as the person who made it.